The invention relates to a system for managing software applications, particularly MES applications. The invention also relates to a method for navigation in industrial installations and/or in industrial processes using software applications, particularly MES applications.
“Software für die Automatisierung—Transparenz über die Abläufe schaffen” [Software for automation—providing transparency through the cycles], an article by Dirk Kozian in Elektronik für die Automatisierung 11, 11 17.1999, discloses the practice of using “Manufacturing Execution Systems” (MES) for automating production and manufacturing cycles. These systems integrate the automation level (controls) with the ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems on the enterprise command level. Manufacturing execution systems are systems which provide information about optimizing production cycles, for example. First, the manufacturing execution systems have to complement the ERP systems' coarse planning data with installation-specific, up-to-date fine planning data and to forward these data as appropriate to the subordinate automation level, and secondly they have the task of receiving production-related information from the automation level, editing it and forwarding it to the enterprise command level. MES systems thus perform the task of vertical integration between the enterprise command level and the automation level. Typical individual tasks of MES systems are enterprise asset management, maintenance management, information management, scheduling, dispatching and trace & track. These tasks are respectively performed by MES components and MES applications.
The software and data heterogeneity of the MES applications means that the MES applications are very difficult to manage and a user can navigate through them only with difficulty on account of the inadequate continuity. Typically, each MES application is therefore managed by a separate workstation.
DE 199 00 884 A1 discloses a system and a method for operating and observing an automation system with process visualization and process control using virtual installation models as a replica of a real installation.